More than a dozen Broadway stars are rallying in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. A special concert event is held at Columbia University.

Audra McDonald, Billy Porter and Danielle Brooks

Broadway stars come together August 1 at Columbia University for a night of unity and solidarity supporting the Black Lives Matter movement through artistic expression and conversation before a public audience.

The Broadway for Black Lives Matter Collective present the free community event at Columbia University’s Lerner Hall Roone Arledge Auditorium, located at 2920 Broadway (West 115th Street). Doors open at 8 PM, with the program beginning at 8:30 PM. The evening is sold out. Click here to read more.

The evening, co-sponsored by Columbia Law School, consists of performances, Q&As and discussions of tangible ways in which we can actively promote change. Broadway Black, a digital platform dedicated to highlighting the achievements of black theatre artists, will live-stream the event, and it can be watched here. Follow @BroadwayBlack #BWAY4BLM to join in the conversation community and become Agents of Change across the country.

According to the Broadway for Black Lives Matter Collective, “An overwhelming number of friends and colleagues in the Broadway community have expressed a deep desire to participate in an open dialogue about the social and racial justice issues that are troubling our nation. The event will bring Broadway performers together with policy reformers, educators, clergymen, public officials, and community leaders to discuss a plan of action. The evening will spark conversation and encourage people to discover their roles as active participants in a movement towards positive change.”

The King and I, Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical currently receiving a revival production by Lincoln Center, has been subject to several casting controversies over the years that ultimately led to an evolution in the way the piece is produced.